Tulane safety Derrick Strozier beats the odds to be an all-around contributer

Derrick Strozier was a one-man wonder in Tulane’s loss against Memphis last Saturday. Strozier, a special teams staple, blocked a kick, returned six punts for 66 yards and made five solo tackles at a new position — safety.

But at one point two years ago, all people wondered was: Would he ever be able to play football again?

Strozier, an Orlando, Fla., native who celebrates his 21st birthday today, left Edgewater High School as Scout.com’s No. 131 defensive back. He was getting ready to leave for informal workouts at Tulane when he couldn’t catch his breath after doing drills outside of his apartment complex.

“I had just gotten done working out, and I was sick at the time, but I was having trouble breathing — but it wasn’t the normal having-trouble-breathing,” Strozier said. “I was gasping for breath.”

Strozier’s family had just one car at the time, so he and his dad crammed in a neighbor’s car and rushed to the emergency room. Something was really wrong.

“They found blood clots in my lungs,” Strozier said.

Strozier, a 5-foot-8 speedster who played running back and defensive back in high school and was a model of physical fitness, had a condition most commonly associated with long periods of inactivity.

“They did a lot of tests and tried to see where it came from — genetics or anything like that, and they said they couldn’t find anything, and sometimes it’s just like a freak accident,” Strozier said. “I didn’t know how crucial it could be. They said it could be life-threatening in some situations, so it kind of scared me, but I was just blessed to come out of that situation.”

More bad news

The clots ruined his first year of college football. Strozier was on blood-thinners from May to December 2009. He wasn’t allowed to practice, and he didn’t get a chance to bond with his teammates.

“I reported the same time as the regular students,” Strozier said. “I think it was Aug. 20-something. I was here like the day before school, and I finally got to meet some guys on the team. So really, I didn’t get to work out or practice with the team at all, because I was still on blood-thinners and medicine. If I started bleeding or anything, it would continue to go, and they didn’t want to take that chance.”

There was one teammate in the same boat, linebacker Sule Osagiede, who was sidelined by a neck injury. The two spent many practices that fall watching the team work out.

Osagiede, a good friend of Strozier’s and one of Strozier’s high school teammates, died that January in a car accident outside of Houston. It was a grim few months for Strozier.

The good news that winter was that Strozier was finally taken off blood thinners and cleared for spring football.

“I think the second day, I messed my knee up, and I was out the whole spring,” he said. “It’s just bad situations after bad situations, and I think it just prepared me to stay strong, stay tough and prepare me for the good things that are along the road.”

‘He gets the job done’

This is the scenic part of Strozier’s road despite that Tulane (2-6) is on a five-game slide as it heads to East Carolina (3-4) on Saturday.

Strozier’s triple-threat performance against Memphis turned heads.

“Derrick Strozier — he’s tremendous,” defensive end Dezman Moses said. “Special teams, defensively — you’ll probably see him on offense, too. “He’s all over the field. He’s blocking kicks, returning kicks; whatever you ask of that guy, he does without question. He’s not a huge talker; he’s just one of those guys who goes out and gets the job done. Whatever Coach tells him to do, he responds positively. He makes it happen. He’s one of those guys you can respect as a younger guy even. He’s a leader by example. He does everything right. He’s just one of those players you love to have around and on your team.”

Strozier grabbed some of teammate Ryan Travis’ brownie points, too. Travis, a cornerback who played safety also Saturday, leads Conference USA in interceptions, with four.

“Earlier in the week, I told Ryan Travis that, ‘I think, pound-for-pound, you’re the toughest guy on this team,’ ” interim Coach Mark Hutson said. “Well, Derrick must have overheard me, because in Sunday’s meeting, I had to go back on that story and say, ‘You know Ryan, Derrick is giving you a run for your money. I’m not sure if Derrick’s not the one who is pound-for-pound the toughest player on this team.’ He moved back to the safety position, and he really brought a lot to the game. He helped us, and I think he’ll help us down the five-game stretch.”

Strozier didn’t expect to stay at safety throughout the game Saturday. Now, it looks like Strozier might stay there the rest of the season.

“It actually was a surprise because I knew they were kind of short on safeties, but they told me and Ryan Travis we would be in on a special package (against Memphis). But then when they kept me at safety, I was like, ‘Whoa, what are they doing?’ I just stayed there and did what they told me to do, and it worked out,” Strozier said.

With injuries, inexperience and poor performance, the safety position has troubled the staff all season. But it appears to be on lockdown with Strozier at free safety and Shakiel Smith at strong.

And after a dark start to his collegiate career, Strozier is finding the spotlight.

TUBERVILLE LIKES TULANE: Texas Tech football coach Tommy Tuberville told ESPN radio Wednesday that he thinks the Big 12 should go after schools in interesting destination cities if expanding and included Tulane as one he would target.

“A lot of people would think I’m crazy, but I would go after San Diego State, and I’d go after Tulane,” Tuberville told ESPN. “They both have great stadiums. Both would grow immensely if they went to a conference like this. I know right now, one, San Diego State is doing pretty good. Tulane is not, but they’ve got the Superdome, they’ve got New Orleans for people to go in and out. I think you look at things like that and TV markets.”